Folding wheel-chair.



E. B. GREEN, in.

FOLDING WHEEL CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. ms.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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EDWARD B. GREEN, JR., 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FOLDING WHEEL-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed February 4, 1916. Serial No. 76,174.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD B. GREEN, Jr., acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Buffalo, Erie county,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Folding Wheel- Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The invention aims to provide a stanch trundle chair, collapsible atwill to fold within narrow compass for easy storage in car or closet, asmay often times be necessary.

The precise nature of the improvement will appear in detail from thedescription following and be moreexactly pointed out by claims at itsconclusion.

On the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the improved chair extended inside elevation, the dotted lines showing the position assumed by certainof the parts when collapsed. Fig. 2 a View in cross-section on line 22of Fig. 3 and Fig. 3 a detail in longitudinal section at line 33, Fig.2, to display the junction of the upright front leg with the arm-restslidably hinged thereto. Fig. 4f a front elevation view of the chairextended. Fig. 5 a detail section at the pivot union of the front legwith the seat stretcher. Fig. 6 a like View at the latch junction of thestretcher with the sloping side rail. Fig. 7 fragmentary plan of thesame seat bottom as extended between the upright leg and the side railin crosssection, respectively.

In the form shown by Figs. 1 and at, the dual side rails a supportbetween them the back 6 stoutly secured thereto by bolts 0, the railsbeing sustained below in turn by trundle wheels e mounted on cross-axled boxed to the sloping rails nearly under the center of gravity for thesystem turning about axle d. The side rails curve forward beneath theseat frame, and are united at front by. a horizontal foot rest 7, tocomplete with back 7) a stout frame for the burden. Upright legs 9hinged at 72. near the terminals of sloping rails 00, sustain at crossrod 9 the front part of the seat frame for the patient while on theirflat tops they slidably carry by leaf hinges j the dual arm rests iwhich latter fasten in turn at back hinges j to the companion side railsa.

As appears in Figs. 2 and 3, the under face of each arm-rest i ischanneled lengthwise to allow for easy play of a guide plate seizes thelower foot rest is held fiat within the channel Z by upright bolts mprojecting from the horizontal member of leaf-hinge j. Yielding washers'n of rubber or the like, carried upon the shanks of bolts m bear uponthe retainer plate or keeper 0, fastened by screws under each arm toclose the channel but slotted lengthwise far enough to afford suflicienttravel .for internal guide plate is when the chair is either collapsedor distended by the operator.

A seat frame or stretcher p, suitably located below the arm-rests z, ispivotally sustained by cross-rod 9 (Figs. 1, l, 5) from front legs 9 andyet is free to latch or unlatch at will by means of open catches 1'secured under the frame in position to interlock with the supporting rod8 extended cross-wise at proper level between the side rails .a.

If the chair be in open or extended position shown by full lines, Fig.1, the operator with one hand sustains the curved rails a upright onwheels 6 while with the other hand, he releases seat stretcher p atcatch 1' and forces back the front legs 9 turning at hinges h.Responsively, during the turn of legs 9, the seat frame 0 pivotedthereto at g, travels upward at its free rear end. Simultaneously,arm-rests z slidably united to legs 9 at leaf-hinges j, gradually folddown about rear hinges j until the parts in collapsed state assume therelative position denoted by dotted lines, Fig. l. A reverse movement offront legs 9, unfolds the chair parts until the seat ;0 in free descentat back encounters cross rod 8 and being forced on to catches rstretches taut the junction of the uplifted arm rests 2' over the raisedfront legs g. In open or unfolded state, the upright front legs 9present their flat tops to contact against the underface of each armrest 2' brought to a level under taut strain to prevent ricketydisplacement on stop contact, for example, of guide plate with the endof channel way Z.

Ordinarily, the wheels e for trundling the chair are of sufficientdiameter to comfortably mount the risers from step to step of the usualflight of stairs. In such use, the chair with its burden is tippedbackward slightly about cross-axle d by one attendant who grasps theupper extension handles of side rails a while his companion f upturnedby the tilt for easy hand-hold. Between them, the

chair and its burden can ascend or descend, step by step, with utmostease, due in measure to the size of trundle wheels 6 and the positionthus assured for their sustaining axles to better balance the load ineasy poise about the center of gravity.

The curved rails a are generally made from a single piece of bent woodto afiord a stiff, rigid mount at the cross-axle (Z of wheels 6.Although the single axle serves also as a stretcher rung it is obviousthat the separate wheels can each have a distinct axle stem, if desired.

Other modifications suggested by the mechanics skill can be efiectedwithout departure from the limits of the improvement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In folding wheel-chairs, the combinationwith a set of trundle wheels, of dual curved side rails carried therebyand sloping forward practically to a horizontal level, a stretcher footrest extended cross wise between the rails, companion front legs hingedupright to the side rails below, companion arm rests pivoted to the samerails above and hinged at front in sliding union with the tops of saidupright legs and a seat frame pivoted to the upright legsintermediately, the frame being latched to the side rails behind fortaut stretch or collapsible release of the sliding union between the armrests and the upright legs, at will of the operator.

2. In folding Wheel-chairs, the combination with a set of trundlewheels, of dual curved side rails carried thereby and sloping forwardpractically to a horizontal level, a stringer extended cross-wisebetween the rails, companion front legs hinged upright to the side railsbelow, companion arm rests pivoted to the same rails above and hinged atfront in sliding union with the flat tops of said upright legs and astretcher frame pivoted to the upright legs intermediately but latchedto the side rails behind for taut stretch or collapsible release of thesliding union between the arm rests and the upright legs.

EDWARD B. GREEN, JR.

Witnesses:

FRED R. HOPKINS, RICHARD G. WANDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

